Miracle of Mercy

If the truth was known and a light was shown
On every hidden part of my soul
Most would turn away shake their heads and say
"He still has such a long way to go"
If the truth was known you'd see, that the only good in me
Is Jesus, oh it's Jesus

If the walls could speak of the times I've been weak
When everybody thought I was strong
Could I show my face if it weren't for the grace
Of the One who'd known the truth all along
If the walls could speak they'd say
That my only hope is the grace
Of Jesus, grace of Jesus

But Oh, the goodness and the grace in Him
He takes it all and makes it mine, causes His light in me to shine
And He loves me with a love that never ends
Just as I am not as I do, could this be real, could this be true
This could only be a miracle
This could only be the miracle of mercy

A great reminder from Steven Curtis Chapman. All must cry out to the Savior as the tax collector did - "God, be merciful to me, a sinner"

What do you really say?

So...just for the record...I haven't been neglecting this blog. I've just been trying to figure out what to write for quite some time now. The emotional roller coaster that has been my life for the past few weeks has caused me to open this window many times only to find myself speechless in the presence of the great work my great God has been doing. While I wish I could spend time exciting you with the details of the wonderful and godly woman the Lord has put in my life, or the opportunity to lead worship for my brothers and sisters in Christ at CBC, or the heart wrenchingly joyous goodbye I said to my dear family yesterday, I still find myself at a loss for words to adaquately describe these life-changing events. So in my speechless state, I'll let the Word of God speak for me:

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" - Hebrews 13:8

Whether single or married, whether serving or serving by leading, whether saying hello or goodbye, Jesus doesn't change. He transcends our circumstances, sufferings and feelings. Today, I am thankful that I serve and follow the same Christ I did the day He saved me. That He is just as wonderful, amazing, glorious, powerful, perfect, compassionate, merciful, and gentle. That He cares for me today the same as He did yesterday and will continue to care for me tomorrow. That my tiny little vapor of a life is in His hand and that He controls all that is going on with me whether internally or externally. It is because of this I can approach the rest of today with excitement and confidence as I'm swept away by the flood of His will.

I've been on a Chapman craze lately and am currently listening to this song. How fitting.

My Redeemer is Faithful and True

As I look back on the road I've travelled
I see so many times how He's carried me through
If there's one thing that I've learned in my life
My Redeemer is faithful and true

My Redeemer is Faithful and True
Eveything He has said He will do
Every morning His mercies are new
My Redeemer is Faithful and True

My heart rejoices when I read the promise
There is a place that I'm preparing for you
I know someday I'll see my Lord face to face
Cause my Redeemer is Faithful and True

And in every situation He has proved His love for me
When I lack the understanding He gives more grace to me

My Redeemer is Faithful and True
Eveything He has said He will do
Every morning His mercies are new
My Redeemer is Faithful and True
Jesus is Faithful and True


"Faithful and true"...huh...we serve an awesome God.

Recap...

"I'm gonna do something for myself for the first time in a very long time. I don't know what it is yet, but it's gonna be for me."

This is a quote from my blog back in September...it is now June, and I still haven't done it. Not even sure what 'it' is anymore!

The more I read it though, the more it seems kinda selfish. While I do need some time to myself, I am so thankful for the times He has given me to be with the people I love. They have ministered to me in such huge ways! I only pray that I can minister to each of them too and be a better Colossians 3 man - 'Julian...put on a heart of compassion, humility, gentleness, kindness.'

So here we go. I'm gonna do something for the people I love. I don't know what it is yet, but it's gonna be for them.

Thoughts on Disappointment

Well, the past few weeks have been rough to handle. It was all capped off today when it seems like things are hitting an all time low. It's a long story, and I'm sure you don't enjoy pity parties anymore than I do...

It's amazing how we can be so cenetered on our circumstances and forget one of the greatest promises of Scripture: 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.'

The more I pray and meditate on the Word, the more I am beginning to realize that it is my attitude about life that is disfunctional, not God's sovereignty. Nothing about Christ has changed...He is just as perfect, wonderful, amazing, as He was yesterday and will continue to be this way on in to eternity. So though today, I feel disappointed with the hand life has dealt me I can be confident that His mercies are new every morning...so with that, I look forward to waking up tomorrow morning to the same Savior I have for the past 9 years. For even when we are faithless, He remains faithful.

In These Changing Times...

It was astonishing to me to see history unfold before my eyes last night. I hope you all got a chance to participate in last night's historic election. It seems like our nation is in a drastic state of change.

In light of all that, I was encouraged this morning as I read Psalm 102:25-27:

"Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end."

What a word from the Lord! I am think of Daniel who reminds us that 'it is He who changes the times and epochs, who establishes Kings and removes them' (that may be a Julian paraphrase). Though our government may change, thought policies may come and go, though politicians may rise and fall from power, may we never forget that we serve the unchanging Ruler of the universe who is Lord over all authorities, goverments, and yes, even politicians. His will for us is clear. I can think of at least a couple of things:

'This is the first and greatest command...that you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself''

'Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you, and lo, I am with you even until the end of the age'

I see no reason not to continue in these things. So I encourage you: pray for your leaders; share the good news of Jesus Christ in your communities; invest your resources into the business of Christ, namely, making disciples; strive to fall more deeply in love with the Savior and allow that love to overflow into the lives around you; be reminded that in these changing times you serve and live for the unchanging Lord of creation, that His Spirit dwells within you and that in this, you can rest and be satisfied.

May He continue to get all the glory from our lives.

Beggars...

This was posted on Piper's blog yesterday to celebrate the start of the reformation.

Hopefully Luther's words will always echo true in our lives...that we always find ourselves begging for grace at the foot of the cross.

491 years ago today, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg.

He wanted to debate the sale of indulgences with his fellow university professors. So he wrote in Latin.

But a nameless visionary translated the theses into German, carried them to the printing press, and enabled their dispersion far and wide. Luther ended up with more than he bargained for, but he proved to be no coward in defending the discoveries he was making in Scripture.

First Thesis

The truth of Luther’s first thesis would reverberate throughout his lifetime, even finding expression in his last words.

His first thesis reads,

When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said “Repent,” he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.

All of the Christian life is repentance. Turning from sin and trusting in the good news that Jesus saves sinners aren’t merely a one-time inaugural experience but the daily substance of Christianity. The gospel is for every day and every moment. Repentance is to be the Christian’s continual posture.

Last Words

Almost 30 years later, on February 16, 1546, Luther’s last words, written on a piece of scrap paper, echoed the theme of his first thesis:

We are beggars! This is true.

From first thesis to last words, Luther lived at the foot of the cross, where our rebellious condition meets with the beauty of God’s lavish grace in the gospel of his Son—a gospel deep enough to cover all the little and massive flaws of a beggar like Luther and beggars like us.

You're All I Need

So...Aaron, Mike, and I got together tonight to record a little tune we wrote over the past weekend. The inspiration for this song comes from Mark 1, the story of Christ healing the leper. Oh how we need His healing hand to touch our lives. Give it a listen. Hope you are encouraged.